Constable at centre of ₹15k crore betting scam

A Chhattisgarh police head constable has emerged as a central figure in the ongoing Rs 15,000 crore Mahadev online betting app scandal, with new evidence highlighting his involvement in the syndicate's hawala network.

- Ashish Singh

Head constable Vijay Kumar Pandey, controversially reinstated despite substantial proof of his complicity, is accused of facilitating the transfer of illicit funds from the masterminds of the betting app to senior police officers. His reinstatement has raised serious suspicions of a departmental cover-up, heightening concerns about internal corruption.

The Economic Offences Wing-Anti-Corruption Bureau (EOW-ACB) is currently investigating Pandey's 2021 visit to Dubai, which was retrospectively approved through questionable "ex post facto" documentation. Allegations suggest the approval was backed by forged documents, further clouding the legitimacy of his travel. Now stationed at the District Crime Records Bureau (DCRB) in Kanker, Pandey faces serious charges. In Pandey's case, retrospective authorisation is seen as an effort to legitimise his Dubai trip and conceal his deeper connections to the syndicate.

In an 18-minute phone conversation before his sudden disappearance, Pandey admitted to links with the app promoters and hinted at his role as an intermediary within the police department. His phone went offline after receiving a call from a senior officer, abruptly cutting the conversation and adding to the suspicion surrounding his activities.